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How to pay for critical expansion of Utah's transportation infrastructure is a dilemma, as well as a political hot potato.
UTA wants Salt Lake County to seek voter approval of an $895 million bond to accelerate expansion of TRAX. The Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce, on-the-other-hand, thinks a broader 1 percent increase in the sales tax is the way to go.
The objective of both proposals is laudable. Expansion of TRAX and other mass transit services are essential, even inevitable, and accelerating construction will save taxpayers millions, if not billions of dollars in the long run. Key highways, as well, are part of the equation. After all, keeping Utah mobile with the population growth that's occurring is critical to the state's economic and social stability.
Of the proposals on the table, KSL favors the sales tax concept. Foremost, it is fairer. And it addresses a way to fund transportation needs in counties beyond the Wasatch Front, unlike the UTA approach which would hit Salt Lake County property owners with a hefty tax hike.
KSL encourages Utah's political leaders to find a way to get the sales tax issue on the ballot in November. The obstacles are not insurmountable, and voters in Salt Lake County and beyond deserve the opportunity to have a say in this most vital decision.
